Localities Across Commonwealth to get Approximately $180 Million

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Localities Across Commonwealth to get Approximately $180 Million in State Matching Funds for Transportation Projects

RICHMOND – Localities throughout Virginia will receive approximately $180 million in state matching funds, which advances nearly $880 million in transportation projects to improve roads, bridges, sidewalks, trails and traffic lights in their area. The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) approved the funding through the state’s Revenue Sharing Program during its meeting in June. 

“Localities across the state, from rural counties to large urban cities, are able to make critical transportation improvements in their communities with state dollars,” said Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne. “The Revenue Sharing Program provides a unique opportunity for the state and local governments to work in partnership to responsibly invest transportation dollars and support projects that enhance economic development opportunities in their locality.”

“The Revenue Sharing Program is an essential funding source for localities to proceed with their transportation priorities,” said Charlie Kilpatrick, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). “The state’s contribution of $180 million advances projects valued almost five times that investment. Many projects will move forward to improve transportation throughout the commonwealth.”

Below is a partial list of projects that will advance under the Revenue Sharing Program

·       widen Lee Highway from two to four lanes from just east of Blevins Boulevard to just west of Alexis Drive in the City of Bristol 

·       repave several sections of unpaved roads in Culpeper County and new sidewalk construction in Albemarle County 

·       widen Morris Road/Mudd Tavern Road to four lanes and construct two double lane roundabouts from the bridge over Interstate 95 to just east of the bridge over I-95 in Spotsylvania County 

·       widen Courthouse Road from two to four lanes from Winding Creek Road to Cedar Lane in Stafford County

·       widen Rosemont Road to four lanes from Lynnhaven Parkway to Dam Neck Road in Virginia Beach

·       bridge replacement on Main Street over the Expressway in the City of Lynchburg

·       widen Lee Highway from Legato Road to Shirley Gate Road in Fairfax County

·       extend Riverside Parkway in Loudoun County from Lexington Drive to Loudoun County Parkway

·       citywide repaving in the City of Richmond and construction of additional bikeways and trails as part of 2015 World Cycling Championship event

·       Franklin Road bridge replacement and citywide repaving in the City of Roanoke

·       construct four lane extension of Snowden Bridge Blvd in Frederick County just east of Route 11

A full listing of projects is located at http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/resources/2014/june/Resolution_Agenda_Item_5_Allocations.pdf.

Localities apply for funding under the Revenue Sharing Program each year.  VDOT recommends projects for funding and the CTB approves the final list of projects and allocation amounts for each.

For more information on the Revenue Sharing Program go tohttp://www.virginiadot.org/business/local-assistance-access-programs.asp#Revenue_Sharing.

Related articles

• Governor Mcauliffe Announces $13.1 Billion in Transportation Improvements
• Governor McAuliffe Announces 95 Express Lanes in Northern Virginia More Than 70 Percent Complete
• Governor Mcauliffe Signs Into Law the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission
• Governor McAuliffe continues to push for a better transportation system and a stronger Virginia economy

Governor McAuliffe Announces New Web Portal to Track Road Projects

VDOT Interchange Exit Direction Sign (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Go to Virginiaroads.org for interactive maps that show latest paving conditions and construction projects across the state

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has launched a new interactive portal, www.Virginiaroads.org, that provides a one-stop information source to VDOT data and projects. The Governor made his announcement while speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Brookings Institution’s Eco-Engineering Forum 2014: The New Eco-System of Information on Harnessing the Potential of Big Data.

An important feature of this new portal are interactive maps showing current and planned road construction projects included in the Six-Year Improvement Program as well as pavement conditions and resurfacing projects. Some of the data  made available through this app is in response to requests by Virginia broadband providers to have greater visibility and earlier notice regarding road construction and repair  projects.  Providing access to this data will facilitate coordination between VDOT and broadband providers seeking to build new infrastructure.

“Virginiaroads.org is a prime example of the type of project I envisioned when we launched our Data.Virginia initiative aimed at using data to make government more transparent,” said Governor McAuliffe. “It’s as simple as clicking on the link, selecting a location and seeing in a glance the status of current and future transportation projects.  The information is easily accessible and open for to the public to see how their taxpayer dollars are being invested to improve Virginia’s road system.”

“A good transportation program depends on VDOT providing clear information that is relevant and available to the public,” stressed Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne.  “Virginiaroads.org turns complex data into knowledge, allowing the public to become more engaged with their transportation program.”  

Virginiaroads.org features a series of interactive maps in a central online location.  One of the maps displays current construction projects, projects in the design phase, projects scheduled to go to construction and future projects. Projects can be searched via project stage, location, route or street name and the project identification number as it is listed in the Six-Year Improvement Program. 

Another map shows pavement conditions, with colors identifying whether a section of pavement is in excellent, good, fair or poor condition.  You can click on a section of pavement to find out more details on resurfacing projects.

VDOT Commissioner Charlie Kilpatrick added, “You can easily see what is going on where you live or work by zooming in on a county or city, click on the projects for more detail or view the latest pavement conditions and repaving projects.  This tool combines layers of data in one application that the public can use to learn more about transportation projects in their localities.”

Virginiaroads.org has other maps, some of which are interactive, including:

·        511 real-time traffic information

·        Park and ride lots

·        Snow plowing status

·        Virginia toll facilities

·        Major road construction

·        Highway safety corridors

·        Truck routes

·        Scenic roads

·        Bicycling maps

·        Capital trail

·        State map

·        City maps

Future updates to the portal will include bridge locations and conditions, and accident and cash information.

VDOT maintains and operates nearly 58,000 miles of roads and bridges across Virginia, the third largest state maintained highway system in the country, just behind North Carolina and Texas.

Related articles

• Governor McAuliffe Announces Leadership and First Meeting of Railroad Safety and Security Task Force
• Governor McAuliffe Announces Reforms to P3 Process
• Governor McAuliffe Statement on the Passing of Raymond H. Boone
• Governor McAuliffe Announces Safety Improvements for I-77 in Fancy Gap
• Governor McAuliffe Announces Leadership and First Meeting of Railroad Safety
• Governor McAuliffe Announces Posted Commuter Travel Times Starting in Hampton Roads

Governor McAuliffe Announces Leadership and First Meeting of Railroad Safety and Security Task Force

Location in Virginia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Richmond, VA – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian J. Moran and Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne will co-chair the interagency Railroad Safety and Security Task Force, and that the panel will conduct its first meeting on June 4^th, 2014 at 1:00pm at the Virginia State Capitol Building in Senate Room 3.

“This task force is an important step toward ensuring that Virginia is doing everything it can to keep our railroads and the communities around them safe, and that we are prepared to respond to incidents like the derailment and fire in Lynchburg earlier this month,” said Governor McAuliffe. “I have asked Secretaries Moran and Layne to bring our public safety, transportation and environmental protection agencies together to investigate what happened in Lynchburg and make recommendations of how Virginia can work with the federal government to keep our communities and our natural resources as safe as possible.”

The Railroad Safety and Security Task Force will include representatives from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), the Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP), the State Corporation Commission (SCC), the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and the Virginia State Police (VSP). The task force will solicit input from industry stakeholders, local governments and members of the public and produce a report of recommended state and federal actions to prevent railroad accidents and ensure that Virginia is prepared as possible to keep communities safe in the case of a future incident.

“Last month’s incident in Lynchburg could have been much worse, but local, state and federal responders worked together to keep the public safe and clean up the wreckage as soon as possible,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian J. Moran. “I want to thank Governor McAuliffe for forming this task force to ensure that every corner of Virginia is as prepared to act in the case of another accident as Lynchburg was, and that we are working with our federal partners to keep another incident like this from happening again.”

Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne continued, “Virginia’s railways are critical to the commerce and trade of the entire nation, and operating them safely should be priority one for the Commonwealth and our federal and industry partners. This task force is our opportunity to increase interagency cooperation, solicit public input and formulate recommendations to keep our railways and adjacent Virginia communities and resources as safe as possible.”

Governor McAuliffe announced his intention to form the Railroad Safety and Security Task Force earlier this month while touring the site of the April 30^th train derailment and fire in downtown Lynchburg, VA. 

Related articles

• Governor McAuliffe Announces Reforms to P3 Process(gloucestercounty-va.com)

  ---

• Governor McAuliffe Names Six Members to Commonwealth Transportation Board(gloucestercounty-va.com)

  ---

• Governor McAuliffe Signs SB381 Transferring Homeland Security Responsibilities to the Secretary of Public Safety(gloucestercounty-va.com)

  ---

Governor McAuliffe Announces Reforms to P3 Process

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Governor McAuliffe announced that the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) passed a resolution to increase transparency and competition and to better evaluate the public’s risk for projects delivered under the Public Private Transportation Act (PPTA).

“Protecting every dollar that Virginia taxpayers send to Richmond is job one for my administration,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Accordingly, I have asked Secretary Layne to work with the CTB to evaluate the state’s approach to public-private partnerships to ensure that we are giving Virginians the maximum return on their investment in those projects. P3’s are a great tool for accomplishing projects that would not otherwise get done, but only when they are negotiated to put Virginians’ best interests first.”

Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne added, “While PPTA contracts have made some critical highway projects possible by bringing in private sector equity and innovation, the process needs to be improved to ensure it is used for the right projects and risks are appropriately evaluated and minimized for the public.”

PPTA projects are procured under the Office of Transportation Public Private Partnerships (OTP3).  The CTB’s resolution calls for the following:

·       The OTP3 will strengthen the transparency of the entire public private transportation project development and delivery, including increasing opportunities for public participation and direct involvement by the CTB in project development.

·       The VDOT Commissioner will improve ways to better assess risk with PPTA and design-build projects.  The objective is to identify, minimize and limit the risks to VDOT and the public by highlighting “high risk” projects.

Recommendations to implement the reforms will be presented during the CTB by October 2014.  CTB members William Fralin and Marty Williams will coordinate the review process. 

Link to the resolution:

http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/resources/2014/may/reso/Resolution_Agenda_Item_NB_1_.pdf

Governor McAuliffe Announces Leadership and First Meeting of Railroad Safety

 (Photo credit: ATOMIC Hot Links)

Governor McAuliffe Announces Leadership and First Meeting of Railroad Safety and Security Task Force

Richmond, VA – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian J. Moran and Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne will co-chair the interagency Railroad Safety and Security Task Force, and that the panel will conduct its first meeting on June 4^th, 2014 at 1:00pm at the Virginia Emergency Operations Center in Chesterfield.

“This task force is an important step toward ensuring that Virginia is doing everything it can to keep our railroads and the communities around them safe, and that we are prepared to respond to incidents like the derailment and fire in Lynchburg earlier this month,” said Governor McAuliffe. “I have asked Secretaries Moran and Layne to bring our public safety, transportation and environmental protection agencies together to investigate what happened in Lynchburg and make recommendations of how Virginia can work with the federal government to keep our communities and our natural resources as safe as possible.”

The Railroad Safety and Security Task Force will include representatives from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), the Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP), the State Corporation Commission (SCC), the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and the Virginia State Police (VSP). The task force will solicit input from industry stakeholders, local governments and members of the public and produce a report of recommended state and federal actions to prevent railroad accidents and ensure that Virginia is prepared as possible to keep communities safe in the case of a future incident.

“Last month’s incident in Lynchburg could have been much worse, but local, state and federal responders worked together to keep the public safe and clean up the wreckage as soon as possible,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian J. Moran. “I want to thank Governor McAuliffe for forming this task force to ensure that every corner of Virginia is as prepared to act in the case of another accident as Lynchburg was, and that we are working with our federal partners to keep another incident like this from happening again.”

Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne continued, “Virginia’s railways are critical to the commerce and trade of the entire nation, and operating them safely should be priority one for the Commonwealth and our federal and industry partners. This task force is our opportunity to increase interagency cooperation, solicit public input and formulate recommendations to keep our railways and adjacent Virginia communities and resources as safe as possible.”

Governor McAuliffe announced his intention to form the Railroad Safety and Security Task Force earlier this month while touring the site of the April 30^th train derailment and fire in downtown Lynchburg, VA. 

Related articles

• Governor McAuliffe Announces Railroad Safety and Security Taskforce
• Governor McAuliffe Statement on Lynchburg Train Derailment
• Governor McAuliffe Announces Personnel Transition at Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
• Governor McAuliffe Names Six Members to Commonwealth Transportation Board
• Public Safety Officials Support Swift Passage of Governor McAuliffe's Budget
• Governor McAuliffe Signs SB381 Transferring Homeland Security Responsibilities to the Secretary of Public Safety

Governor McAuliffe Announces 95 Express Lanes in Northern Virginia More Than 70 Percent Complete

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Recent milestones mark progress and local economic benefits

RICHMOND — Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that construction of the I-95 Express Lanes project is more than 70 percent complete, and remains on-schedule to be completed by the end of 2014 and open to traffic in early 2015.  The first of nine new bridges being built along the 95 Express Lanes corridor in Northern Virginia, located at Telegraph road near Marine Corps Base Quantico in Stafford County, recently opened to traffic. Steel framework on the remaining new bridges also is complete.

“The progress on the 95 Express Lanes project is a visible reminder of the congestion relief and new travel choices that Virginians will have available to them in less than a year,” commented McAuliffe.  “The project has also benefited jobs and business opportunities, particularly for women- and minority-owned businesses as well as small businesses.  Steel work was completed by a local disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE), Interlock Steelworkers, Inc., exemplifying the Commonwealth’s commitment to providing business opportunities that support jobs and generate economic growth.

To date, the project has infused more than $127 million into the local economy through DBE and small, women, and minority-owned businesses (SWaM).  With nearly $193 million committed to more than 131 DBE/SWaM firms so far, the Virginia Department of Transportation and its 95 Express Lanes partners, Transurban and Fluor, are slated to exceed their DBE/SWaM project goals of $189 million. 

During the remainder of 2014, crews will continue to build-out the new lanes, while installing and testing new overhead signs, tolling gantries and other traffic management equipment. Other critical work includes constructing new sound walls to provide noise reductions to qualifying adjacent communities; building storm water management ponds; and completing final work on barriers, guardrails, paving and roadways.

The 95 Express Lanes project is a 29-mile upgrade and expansion of the HOV facility on I-95/395.  For more information, visit www.VAMegaprojects.com or www.95ExpressLanes.com.

Related articles

• Governor Bob McDonnell Announces 95 Express Lanes Construction Reaches Mid-Point
• Governor McAuliffe Signs Legislation Helping Bristol Move Forward on Economic Development Project
• Governor McAuliffe Announces Successful Launch of DMV/VDH Vital Records Partnership
• Governor McAuliffe and First Lady To Open Executive Mansion in Celebration of Virginia Historic Garden Week
• Governor McAuliffe's Statement on the Budget Impasse
• Governor McAuliffe Announces Safety Improvements for I-77 in Fancy Gap

Save Edge Hill Service Station? Gloucester, VA, More Information

We have continued to dig up information on this site and oh what we have found.  In a past article we pointed out that we had heard that this property had sold for over four hundred thousand dollars.  That did not make sense since the building on the county tax map shows it's value to include it's present value at under one hundred thousand dollars.  Well it turns out that this property is a combination of 3 lots.  The car wash is part of that ownership and where the real price came into play.

  So Fairfield owns a for profit business.  Now from everything we have been able to see so far, even though Fairfield owns the car wash, it looks like they may have subleased the business out to someone else.  It's interesting that you have never read this in the local news anywhere.  But here are the backup facts straight from the county.

Fairfield Edgehill Texaco Station Info, Gloucester, VA from Chuck Thompson

If the information proves tough to read, you can blow the above into full screen mode.

Why this property was divided up the way it was does not make sense.  At least the sale price of the property now makes more sense.  But wait, it gets even more interesting.  Gloucester County officials, after Fairfield bought this property, submitted this property to VDOT for a special preservation grant.  Why did the county do this for Fairfield?  Not only that, but the grant was approved.  Don't take our word for it, we got the evidence straight from VDOT themselves.  A copy of the email is below.

Our records indicate that an award was made to Gloucester County for this project in June, 2012 in the amount of $384,000.  Realize however that this is a reimbursable program and no funds are awarded up-front.  Funds must be expended and then a request made for reimbursement.  For further details regarding the Transportation Enhancement – now the Transportation Alternatives – Program and past allocations, please see our website atwww.virginiagot.org/business/prenhancegrants.asp .

 

Thank you,

 

Pam Liston

Wow, all Fairfield has to do now is sucker people in to produce the matching funds and they have a windfall business free and clear.  Why they are not using any of the profits from their car wash business is a question we have.

  There has been a lot of interest in keeping this corner tied up.  Now in all fairness it does have a viable but probably a very poorly performing business on this corner lot.  The service station itself, as we have shown has no real historical value.  So why is the corner lot of such great concern?  Oh, it's coming.  But not just yet.  We have a lot more.  Keep an eye on the areas we told you are eyed for future development.  Therein lies the master key in our opinion.  And does this have anything to do with the new Page Middle School?  Remember that question.  It may just have something to do with keeping traffic tied up on the 17/14 corner during rush hours and forcing new road construction through certain properties, located close to TC Walker school, who's ownership may prove revealing.  It's amazing how things start to tie together.

Related articles

• Edgehill Texaco Service Station, Gloucester, VA Update
• Gloucester, VA Edgehill Texaco Service Station Historic Landmark?
• Gloucester, VA Storage Container Use Ordinances
• Gloucester, VA County Employees At Hardees During Working Hours?
• Gloucester, VA Board of Supervisor's Meeting Video, March 2014
• Gloucester County, Virginia Man Wins $1M in Virginia Lottery